T20 WC: Adil Rashid stars as England kick-off campaign with 6-wicket win over West Indies

DUBAI: Adil Rashid scalped four as England thrashed West Indies by six wickets in their opening Super 12 match of the ongoing T20 World Cup on Saturday.

Set a paltry target of 56 by West Indies, England completed the formalities in 8.2 overs despite a wobble which saw them losing four wickets.

With this win, England defeated West Indies at the men's T20 World Cup for the first time in six games.

Chasing 56, England started off decently but soon lost two wickets. While Jason Roy was dimissed by Ravi Rampaul at the start of the third over, Jonny Bairstow departed six balls later leaving England at 30/2.

England lost two more wickets during their chase as Moeen Ali was run out while Liam Livingstone got dimissed as Akeal Hosein took a catch off his own bowling in the seventh over.

In the end, Buttler and Morgan made sure England don't suffer any further hiccups as the side cruised to victory in the ninth over.

Earlier, put into bat first, West Indies got off to a bad start that only worsended as the game progressed. West Indies lost three wickets in the first five overs as England bowlers came firing on cylinders.

The Kieron Pollard-led kept losing wickets at regular intervals and were soon found reeling at 44/7 in the 11th over. West Indies had some hopes from Pollard and Russell but the duo also met the same fate as the side was folded for 55/10 in 14.2 overs.

Earlier in the day, Australia kickstarted the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup 2021 with a nervy five-wicket victory over South Africa in a low-scoring contest in Abu Dhabi.

Brief Scores: West Indies 55/10 (Chris Gayle 13; Adil Rashid 4-2, Moeen Ali 2-17) vs England 56/4 (Jos Buttler 24; Akeal Hosein 2-24)